Handle assembly for an adjustable multi-purpose crutch
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
E61H-003/02
출원번호
US-0707815
(2007-02-13)
등록번호
US-7487788
(2009-02-10)
발명자
/ 주소
Baker,William H.
출원인 / 주소
Baker,William H.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
2인용 특허 :
12
초록▼
The invention is for a handle assembly for an adjustable crutch having two upper tubes each of which slides inside one of two lower tubes to adjust the height of the crutch. The handle assembly has a body, a lever attached to the outside of the body; and two locking pins positioned inside the body.
The invention is for a handle assembly for an adjustable crutch having two upper tubes each of which slides inside one of two lower tubes to adjust the height of the crutch. The handle assembly has a body, a lever attached to the outside of the body; and two locking pins positioned inside the body. Each locking pin is mechanically coupled to the lever and each locking pin is normally biased through tube holes formed in the upper tubes and through tube openings defined in the lower tubes to prevent the sliding of the upper tubes inside the lower tubes. The depression of the lever causes the locking pins to retract from the tube holes and the tube openings such that a user may slide the upper tube inside the lower tube to change the crutch height.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A handle assembly for an adjustable crutch having two upper tubes each of which slides inside one of two lower tubes to adjust the height of the crutch, the handle assembly comprising: (a) a body, wherein the body comprises: a generally cylindrical palm grip around which a us
What is claimed is: 1. A handle assembly for an adjustable crutch having two upper tubes each of which slides inside one of two lower tubes to adjust the height of the crutch, the handle assembly comprising: (a) a body, wherein the body comprises: a generally cylindrical palm grip around which a user wraps a palm of his hand to grip the body; a generally vertical front post a generally vertical rear post; a web which a web of the hand of the user contacts when the user grips the body; and a thumb rest upon which the user positions a thumb to more securely grip the body of the handle assembly, and wherein the body further comprises a gripping contour surface, wherein a plane tangent to the gripping contour surface forms a gripping angle with an imaginary line that is parallel to a center line of either one of the lower tubes, and wherein the gripping angle has a value between seventy and seventy-five degrees to reduce rolling and twisting motions of the user's hand and wrist while gripping the handle assembly; (b) a lever attached to the outside of the body; and (c) two locking pins positioned inside the body, wherein each locking pin is mechanically coupled to the lever, wherein each locking pin is normally positioned through tube holes formed in the upper tubes and through tube openings defined in the lower tubes to prevent the sliding of the upper tubes inside the lower tubes, and wherein the depression of the lever causes the locking pins to retract from the tube holes and the tube openings such that a user may slide the upper tube inside the lower tube. 2. The handle assembly of claim 1 wherein the body further comprises a bottom gripping surface that extends from the rear post to the front post, wherein an imaginary plane substantially tangent to the bottom gripping surface forms a lower surface angle with the imaginary line that is parallel to a centerline of either one of the lower tubes, and wherein the lower surface angle has a value between eighty and eighty-five degrees to help restrict twisting and rolling motions by the user's hand and wrists. 3. The handle assembly of claim 2 wherein a weight-bearing surface area of the palm grip is substantially twice as large as a weight-bearing surface area of the web to encourage the user to bear his weight on the palm of the hand instead of the web of the hand. 4. A handle assembly for an adjustable crutch, wherein the adjustable crutch has two upper tubes having tube holes defined therein, and two lower tubes with tube openings defined therein, wherein each of the upper tubes slides inside one of the two lower tubes, the handle assembly comprising: (a) a body; (b) a lever having a thumb portion and a bore defined in the lever; (c) a spindle with a cylindrical round portion and with diametrically opposed paddles, wherein the diametrically opposed paddles comprise an upper paddle and a lower paddle, and wherein the spindle cylindrical round portion fits into the bore formed in the lever; (d) a slide with a paddle-engaging portion at a slide first end and an angle piece at a slide second end; (e) a first and second locking pin, each locking pin having a notch defined therein, wherein the lower paddle fits into the notch formed in the first locking pin, and wherein the slide angle piece fits into the notch formed in the second locking pin; (f) a compression spring positioned between the first and second locking pins wherein the compression spring biases the first and second locking pin in an extended position; (g) wherein, when the locking pins are in the extended position, the locking pins are positioned through the tube openings and the tube holes to prevent sliding of the upper tubes in the lower tubes; and (h) wherein when the lever is depressed, the spindle rotates and the locking pins are moved to a retracted position such that a user may slide the upper tubes inside the lower tubes to adjust a height of the crutch. 5. The handle assembly of claim 4 wherein the cylindrical round portion of the spindle fits through a handle opening, wherein the lever is attached to the spindle outside the body and wherein the upper paddle and lower paddle are located inside the body. 6. The handle assembly of claim 4 wherein the compression spring has a spring constant between 0.1 pounds per inch and 10.0 pounds per inch. 7. The handle assembly of claim 4 wherein, when the lever is depressed, the upper tube is moveable inside the lower tube and when the lever is then released, each locking pin is biased against an outside of the upper tube, such that when a user slides the upper tube inside the lower tube, the locking pins lock a position of the upper tube with respect to the lower tube when one of the upper tube holes is aligned with one of the lower tube openings. 8. The handle assembly of claim 4, wherein the body comprises: a generally cylindrical palm grip about which a user wraps a palm of his hand to grip the body; a generally vertical front post a generally vertical rear post; a web upon which a web of the hand of the user rests when the user grips the body; and a thumb rest upon which the user positions a thumb to more securely grip the body of the handle assembly, wherein the thumb rest extends and increases the load-bearing surface of the handle assembly. 9. The handle assembly of claim 8 wherein the body further comprises a gripping contour surface, wherein a plane tangent to the gripping contour surface forms a gripping angle with an imaginary line that is substantially parallel to a center line of the lower tubes, and wherein the gripping angle has a value between seventy and seventy-five degrees to reduce twisting and rolling motions by the user's wrists and hands. 10. The handle assembly of claim 8 wherein the body further comprises a bottom gripping surface that extends from the rear post to the front post, wherein an imaginary plane substantially tangent to the bottom gripping surface forms a lower surface angle with the imaginary line that is parallel to centerline of the lower tubes. 11. The handle assembly of claim 10 wherein the lower surface angle has a value between eighty and eighty-five degrees to reduce twisting and rolling motions by the user's wrists and hands. 12. An adjustable crutch to aid mobility of a person in moving over a walking surface, the adjustable crutch comprising: (a) the handle assembly of claim 10 for the person to grasp and to support the weight of the person; (b) upper tubes and lower tubes, wherein the upper tubes slide inside the lower tubes to adjust the height of the crutch; (c) a shoulder support that normally fits beneath an underarm of the person; and (d) a foot assembly that engages the walking surface when the user uses the crutches to move over the walking surface.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (12)
Stein Joseph L. (9551 Old Creek Dr. Fairfax VA 22032), Adjustable crutch.
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